In Our Time Maths and Storytelling
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Sep 30, 1999 Mathematician John Allen Paulos and novelist Marina Warner discuss the fascinating relationship between maths and storytelling. They explore the hidden mathematical logic in stories, the origins of both in our ancestors' need to measure the world, and the possibility of applying mathematical logic to literature. The podcast delves into the formalist approach of analyzing folk tales, the intersection of mathematics and humor in jokes, and the link between mathematics, language, and storytelling.
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Stories Clarify Mathematical Ideas
- Stories provide concrete contexts that clarify and motivate mathematical ideas and applications.
- Mathematical concepts like random walks or exponential growth become clearer when embedded in simple vignettes.
Mathematical Versus Narrative Logic
- Mathematical logic is extensional and allows substitution without changing truth values.
- Narrative logic resists such substitutions because intentions and roles alter meaning.
Common Origins In Practical Needs
- Both mathematics and storytelling grew from practical needs like counting and warning about danger.
- Greek geometry and bundled oral tales evolved from everyday rules of thumb and communications.